Representing clean…

Representing clean technology companies in the Ontario economy, we have seen the positive economic impact clean technology companies have had on Ontario’s economy as well as their environmental impact. The estimated 5,000 clean technology companies in the Province spread their economic impact across the province; form the Southern Ontario and the GTA to the northern reaches of the province. These clean technology companies employ hundreds of thousands of people and provide strong base of revenue for Ontario via taxes.

Bill 4, Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, has the potential to stall the positive progress of reducing GHGs, one measure of environmental impact, while also harming the companies producing those technologies which were to be implemented to reduce GHGs.

Should be Bill, be passed, we would submit for consideration that this is an opportunity to view clean technologies as an economic driver no matter what impact they focus on. GHG reduction is one of many vital aspects of clean technology and sustainability that are being addressed in Ontario, but it remains that it is only one of the many facets of clean technology. The opportunity for the Ontario government is to develop programming that encompasses other aspects; Energy Storage, Air and Environment, Remediation, Bioenergy/biofuels, Biomaterial, Energy Efficiency, Agriculture, Transportation, Green Chemistry to name a few.

Bill 4, beyond winding down of the Cap and Trade Program, must focus on advancing the implementation of clean technology across all aspects of the clean technology universe, and also ensure there are long-term science-based emission budgets consistent with the Paris Agreement as well as other measures focused on other sustainability technologies (e.g. biomaterials and Agriculture), a legal obligation to stay within those budgets and measures, and a credible, transparent reporting of Ontario’s progress as a leader in environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the economic growth that comes with being a leader in sustainability technologies!

Clean technology can and does have significant environmental impact across industries. We hope that the Ontario government will take this opportunity to widen the lens, encompassing other aspects of clean technology that mitigate other environmental impacts.